


Criminal Behavior

by barbaXcarisi (barbaXbenson)



Series: Pros and Cons [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Kind of a White Collar AU?, M/M, Not really but Barba is Neal Caffrey, Smut, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 13:56:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbaXbenson/pseuds/barbaXcarisi
Summary: “You do know that phones exist?” Sonny asked. “If you want to see me you don’t have to commit a crime.”“But where’s the fun in that?” Rafael reached for him again, trying to pull him close, but Sonny took a step back.“Stop.” He reached to the back of his belt, removing his cuffs. “I have to take you in.”“You know those aren’t going anywhere near my wrists unless they’re hooked to a headboard,” Rafael practically growled and Sonny hated himself a little when he felt his blood run south at the memory.





	Criminal Behavior

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AHumanFemale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHumanFemale/gifts).



> ahumanfemale gave me the fantastic prompt of "'Run away with me.' Whispered low and sweet against his neck." with a preference that it be an AU and this is what I came up with. 
> 
> Also, most of this was written on my phone in an airport/on a plane, so please forgive typos. I'll try to fix them as I find them.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it!

“Stop! Police! Goddammit,” Sonny grunted as the suspect did the exact opposite and took off running. “Go around the other way,” He called to his partner as he took off in a full sprint, gun in hand. “Cut him off!”

The perp was fast, but Sonny was faster, and after a few blocks he closed in on him just as he turned down an alleyway, one that ended in a brick wall. “You got nowhere to go. Now turn around,” he instructed, raising his gun.

The suspect dropped the black bag he’d been carrying before he turned, hands raised and a smirk on his face. “We meet again, Detective.”

Sonny’s brow knitted in confusion. “Barba?” He couldn’t believe that he hadn’t recognized him, but this wasn’t his usual MO. He usually went more upscale, wearing expensive suits and charming his way into fancy parties where he could rob and con the hosts, but now that he was up close Sonny could see that the black pants and hoodie were expensive and well made. “A bank robbery is a little beneath you, no?”

“Did you think maybe I just wanted to see you again?” Barba stepped closer, but kept his hands in the air.

“Stop,” Sonny instructed, the gun still steady in his hand.

“Aw, c’mon, Detective. Is that any way to treat me after I waited around for you? Where were you anyway? The teller hit the alarm almost twenty minutes ago. I got a cramp hiding out waiting on you.” Another minuscule step forward. The gun in Sonny’s hand lowered just a fraction of an inch and the smirk slid back into place. “Your patrolmen need better training by the way. I was fifteen feet away the entire time.”

“Why would you do this? Now I have to arrest you.” A look passed over his face like the thought of doing so pained him.

“You aren’t going to arrest me.” Barba took another step forward, placing his hand on Sonny’s arm and gently pushing it down until the gun pointed at the ground.

“I’m not?”

“No, you’re not.” He was toe to toe with him now, his lips just centimeters away from the detective’s.

“Rafael.” Carisi warned, but didn’t pull back.

“Sonny,” He felt Rafael’s breath on his lips as he breathed out his name, and then Barba’s lips were on his, his hands threading through Sonny’s hair.

Sonny froze at first, but it wasn’t long before he was melting into the kiss, his free hand gripping Rafael’s hip. It was when Barba’s tongue licked into his mouth that he broke out of his daze, giving the other man a light shove as he backed away.

“I told you we can’t do this anymore.”

The cocky grin was back on Rafael’s face. “That’s what you always say.”

“I mean it this time.” Sonny finally holstered his gun, knowing no matter what he’d never use it. “And what are you doing pulling this stunt? What if another detective showed up? What if the unis caught you?”

Rafael scoffed. It was insulting to think that the uniformed cops would ever catch him, so he answered the first question. “You’re the best Major Case detective on the force. I knew they’d send you to a bank robbery.”

“You do know that phones exist?” Sonny asked. “If you want to see me you don’t have to commit a crime.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Rafael reached for him again, trying to pull him close, but Sonny took a step back.

“Stop.” He reached to the back of his belt, removing his cuffs. “I have to take you in.”

“You know those aren’t going anywhere near my wrists unless they’re hooked to a headboard,” Rafael practically growled and Sonny hated himself a little when he felt his blood run south at the memory.

He sighed, hoping that someday he’d be able to resist bending to the will of Rafael Barba, but today was not that day. “This is the last time.”

“Sure it is,” Rafael patted his cheek as Sonny turned his back to him, pretending that he couldn’t see him walk away. “Until next time.” He grabbed his bag and walked casually from the alley.

A few moments later Sonny’s partner came around the corner, panting. “Sorry, it was a dead end, I had to loop back around. You lost him?”

“Yeah,” Sonny said with a disappointment that wasn’t at all put on. “I lost him.”

* * *

 

  
Rafael was pouring himself a glass of scotch, a nice Balvenie 40 year old single malt that had been gifted to him by the widowed Mrs. Arden the night before he’d cleaned out her safe, when a knock sounded on his door, a rhythm that only a select few knew. Still, he tensed up, reaching for his gun. He’d never fired it, in fact he hated guns, but unfortunately they were sometimes necessary in his line of work.

Walking lightly on the balls of his feet so as not to make any noise, he crept to the door, looking through the peephole. The gun dropped to his side and a smirk slid across his face when he saw who it was. He slipped the gun back into its hiding place before opening the door casually. “Detective.”

This was the Rafael Barba that Sonny knew, navy blue pinstripe three piece suit, fitted to perfection, blue paisley tie, pocket square perfectly in place, and the sight of him made his breath catch in his throat. He didn’t want to be here, shouldn’t be here, but he couldn’t help it. He’d spent the last two days trying his hardest not to think about Rafael, the way his mouth had felt on his, the way he’d missed those lips, that body, in the months since he’d broken things off.

He didn’t know what he was more ashamed of, that he’d had an intimate relationship with a suspect during an investigation or that even now he couldn’t resist him.

“You haven’t moved.” To be honest Sonny had been hoping that he was no longer here. Rafael moved a lot, a byproduct of his “work,” and it would have been ideal for Sonny to not know where to find him. But here he was.

Rafael shrugged, stepping out of the way so Sonny could come inside. “I like it here. And besides, no one is after Matthew Franklin.”

“How WASP-y,” Sonny commented.

“Keeps the suspicion off.” Rafael walked into the living room and Sonny followed.

Sonny always found it interesting that someone who stole priceless antiques, paintings, and other items of value kept their living space sparsely decorated, but he supposed that made it easier to move from place to place. Except this time a piece of art over the mantle caught his eye. That hadn’t been there before. “You’re fucking kidding me. Is that—”

Rafael grinned mischievously as he picked up the glass of scotch he’d been pouring when Sonny arrived. “It is definitely not the painting you were investigating the theft of when we met, just a good quality print.”

“Right,” Sonny’s tone was disbelieving, but he decided not to press it further.

“So,” Rafael took a sip of his drink. “What brings you here, Detective? I assume it’s not to arrest me since you’re dressed so casually.”

If Sonny weren’t too busy lying to himself he might admit that he’d chosen this outfit because he knew how much Rafael loved it on him - dark jeans that hugged him just right and a tight, black henley - but instead he told himself it was just coincidence.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” Sonny said honestly, walking over to place a hand on the mantle, looking up at the painting. From this close he could see the brush strokes and places where the paint had dried thicker than others. It definitely wasn’t a print.

He’d spent weeks of his life focused on that painting, it was like he knew every swipe of color, every minute detail, but this was the first time he’d actually seen it in person because they’d never caught the man who’d stolen it.

_Sonny sauntered up to the small table in the corner of the cafe, the man sitting there held the New York Times in his hands, something caramel colored and frothy steamed in a mug on the tabletop. “You’re a difficult man to track down, Mr. Barba,” Sonny said, pushing his jacket back to reveal the badge on his hip._

_Rafael reached around the paper, gripping the mug and bringing it to his lips, not bothering to look up from the story he was reading. “And yet, here I am.”_

_“You mind?” Sonny pulled out the chair opposite Rafael and plopped in it before the other man could answer._

_Rafael sighed, lowering the paper. “What can I do for you, Detective?”_

_“A Matisse painting disappeared from the home of a private collector a couple of weeks ago. You know anything about that?” Sonny leaned back in his chair, casually eyeing Rafael. His expensive dove gray suit was expertly tailored and not a hair was out of place. He was completely and utterly handsome, but the way he held himself showed that he knew it and used it to his advantage._

_It was almost surreal sitting across the table from him, the infamous con artist and thief. Sonny had studied up on him, but most things were in hypotheticals or included the words ‘suspected of.’ He’d never actually been arrested for anything, never been caught. There were several members of law enforcement who_ knew _of the crimes he’d committed, but they’d never been able to prove it._

_Sonny was determined to be the first to do just that._

_“Why would I know anything about that?” Rafael asked innocently, taking another sip of his drink._

_Sonny just gave him a pointed look._

_“Look, Detective, you seem smart and capable.” Rafael ran his finger absentmindedly around the rim of his mug. “They don’t promote officers to Detective based on looks alone, though with you they certainly could have, so you know that there is nothing linking me to the theft and that there is no way I’m going to say anything more on the matter.”_

_“And someone as smart and capable as you,” Sonny leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table, “is well aware of the fact that I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have something.”_

_Now Rafael leaned forward as well, closing the space between them to mere inches. “You’re cute when you lie.”_

_This close, Sonny was struck by how green Barba’s eyes were and he felt the faintest uptick in his pulse, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Rafael’s mouth._

_The corner of that gorgeous mouth turned up, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips. “But, for the hell of it, tell me, what is that you think you have on me?”_

_Fuck, Sonny thought, knowing that he had absolutely nothing but a hunch. “I’m going to keep that to myself for the time being.”_

_Just as he’d thought, Rafael smirked. He finished up his coffee and folded his paper neatly before standing._

_“Where are you going?” Sonny asked, surprised, and disappointed not that he’d ever admit it, at the abrupt end to their conversation._

_“Oh, I never stay in one place for too long,” Rafael said cryptically._

_“If you didn’t do this, maybe you can help me find who did,” Sonny said it in a rush.  It had been his plan all along. If he could get Rafael to consult on the case, which he was pretty sure that he could, given the man’s arrogance, he might slip up. He’d just planned to work up to the offer._

_Rafael considered this, openly letting his appreciative gaze slide over the detective and enjoying the way a flush spread over the fair skin on his neck. Finally, he pulled a card from his breast pocket. “Come to this address tonight. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”_

_Sonny did show up at his door that night, but they hadn’t done much talking._

“I think you missed me as much as I missed you,” Rafael said with certainty, breaking Sonny out of the memory. The older man placed his glass back on the bar cart and walked over to stand in front of Sonny, just far enough away to make it seem casual.

Sonny sighed and ran a hand through the loose wave of his hair, unstyled on his day off. The problem was that Barba was right. He had missed him and he shouldn’t have. The physical was bad enough, but the feelings, the longing to be with him when he wasn’t, the warmth that bloomed in his chest when he was, were the worst part. That’s when he’d known that he had to get out, had to pull away.  

A few impulsive romps in the sheets were one thing, but there was no way they could have a real relationship. There was no way in which that scenario played out that didn’t end with Sonny losing his badge (or worse) and Rafael behind bars. So what the hell was he doing here?

“I shouldn’t have come.”

“But you’re here, and that means something.” Rafael was always so certain and Sonny both envied and detested it.

“If only I’d never found you in the coffee shop that day.” Sonny’s tone was rueful.

An amused smile played on Barba’s lips. “Even after all this time you don’t realize that nothing in my life happens by accident. You think I just hang out in public places when the heat is on? I let you find me. I _wanted_ you to find me.”

Sonny had always thought it’d been a little too easy, tracking a phone that had been linked to Barba to that cafe, but he hadn’t realized that he’d played directly into Rafael’s hands. “Why?”

Rafael shrugged, “Honestly, it was just to toy with you. I knew you didn’t have enough to bring me in and I was bored. I knew all about you, of course, I don’t go into any situation without doing my research. The highest closure rate in your division, a list of commendations, a squeaky clean record. I thought you’d make a good adversary.”

So all of this had been a game from the beginning. Sonny had known that, of course, he wasn’t an idiot. He knew that Rafael loved the thrill of outwitting law enforcement more than he even loved stealing and conning, but he didn’t think that their relationship had been a part of that.

“I see,” Sonny nodded slowly. “Thank you for telling me that. It will make it easier to arrest you when the time comes.”

He started to turn away, to walk back toward the door, but Rafael reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm. “Wait.”

Sonny sighed, “What?”

“That’s what it _was_ . That’s not what it _is_.” Rafael looked up at him, something soft in his eyes that Sonny had only occasionally caught glimpses of before. “My plan disappeared the second you sat down across from me. My first thought was that you were more handsome in person than in your photos. And then we talked and flirted—“

“You flirted,” Sonny interrupted.

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself,” Rafael shrugged. “And by that night, when you came here...well, it wasn’t a game for me anymore.”

“That night was a mistake.”

“And what about the ten times after that?”

“It was eight.” Sonny didn’t know why that was important.

Rafael let out an exasperated sigh, and rolled his eyes. “So, I’m going to ask you again, why are you here? If it’s not because you want me as much as I want you, tell me, and you’ll never see me again.”

He meant it. He’d already bought property in Barcelona (well, Matthew Franklin had), in the event that he ever needed to get out of New York quickly. And if there was no Sonny, there was nothing keeping him here. There were suckers all over the world. He could work from anywhere.

Sonny hesitated, the warmth of Rafael’s hand still weighing heavy on his forearm. “I do want you, that’s the problem,” he said finally.

“You and I have different definitions of the word problem.”

“Are you serious? We can’t. I’m a cop and you’re—“

Rafael cut him off by crashing their lips together. He’d heard it all before and didn’t need to hear it again. He felt something stir within him when Sonny kissed him back immediately, no hesitation, no second guessing, just the fervent movement of Sonny’s lips against his.

“This has to be the last time,” Sonny breathed against his lips as Rafael backed him down the hallway to his bedroom.

Rafael didn’t respond. He’d heard that before, too. Instead he gripped the hem of Sonny’s shirt and pulled it up over his head, tossing it to the floor. His hands were immediately on the smooth skin he’d longed to touch all these months, running his hands over Sonny’s chest and torso as he licked into his mouth.

“I missed you,” he sighed as he made easy work of the button on Sonny’s jeans.

 _I missed you, too._ The thought screamed in Sonny’s mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he worked to rid Rafael of his clothes, a frustrating task given that he wore so many.

Having pushed Sonny’s jeans down, Barba went to work helping to remove his own clothes, shoving Sonny down onto the bed once they were both down to their underwear.

Rafael crawled overtop of him, his legs bracketing Sonny’s toned thighs. A pathetic whimper escaped Sonny’s throat just from the familiar feeling of Rafael on top of him.

Rafael leaned over, taking Sonny’s full bottom lip between his teeth and tugging before kissing along his jaw, nipping at his neck, and then moving down his chest, making sure to take each nipple between his teeth.

Sonny squirmed beneath him, his fingers digging into Rafael’s hips even as his own canted off the bed, desperate for friction.

Finally, Rafael moved down, mouthing at his lower belly before resting on his elbows between Sonny’s thighs. He hooked long fingers in the waistband of Sonny’s briefs, pulling them low enough to finally allow his cock to spring free.

Rafael felt his mouth water at the sight and squeezed Sonny’s thighs in his hands before lowering his mouth down over him, taking him in until his nose bumped against Sonny’s pubic bone.

“Fuck. Christ. Raf.” Sonny writhed beneath him, propping himself up on his elbows so he could watch as Rafael pulled off of him with a hollowing of his cheeks before taking him fully in his mouth again.

Sonny fisted a hand in Rafael’s hair, pulling just hard enough for it to sting a little bit, just how the other man liked it. Rafael glanced up as he moaned around him, his green eyes filled with want and desire, and Sonny thought he’d come right then.

Rafael continued to work him, sliding his tongue up the underside of his prick as he pulled off again, gasping in a breath, his chin glistening. He dipped low again, this time using his tongue on the head of Sonny’s cock, pressing his tongue to the slit and Sonny’s grip in his hair tightened.

Rafael took him deep in his throat one last time before pulling off of him, accompanied by a filthy slurping sound that made Sonny buck his hips, searching for the warmth of Rafael’s mouth. 

“What do you want?” Rafael panted, placing a kiss on the inside of each thigh before moving up to once again hover over him.

“You,” Sonny’s voice was wrecked. “I want my dick buried inside of you.”

Rafael’s pupils dilated and he placed a searing kiss on his lips, allowing Sonny to taste himself, before he stood. He pulled off his boxer briefs and rummaged in the bedside table, coming away with the supplies he needed as Sonny kicked his underwear the rest of the way off.

Once again straddling Sonny, Rafael poured lube on his fingers, reaching back to begin to work himself open.

“Let me—“ Sonny reached out for him.

“Shh..” Rafael arched his back, enjoying the feel of his own fingers as he reached out with his other hand and lazily stroked Sonny, using his precome to slick the way.

“Raf.” Sonny gasped, fucking up into the other man’s fist, enjoying the sight of Rafael’s beautiful body arched over top of him just as much as the hand that was wrapped around him.

When he was prepped, Rafael unwrapped a condom and rolled it down over Sonny’s cock before slicking him up with lube. Sonny had never felt so pampered and he moaned his appreciation.

Finally, Rafael lowered himself onto Sonny, letting the other man fill him completely. “Fuck, Sonny,” Rafael moaned at the feel of Sonny stretching him and he began to roll his hips. “That’s so good. Fuck.”

“Yeah? Is that what you like? My dick filling you up?” Sonny rasped, canting his hips off of the bed, matching the rhythm of his thrusts to Rafael’s movements.

“Yes, you know that’s all I need.” Rafael leaned over, drawing hungry kisses from Sonny’s lips, enjoying the feel of the bruising grip on his hips as he rode him. “Yes, Sonny, fuck yes, ye—“ It dissolved into babble when he shifted just so and Sonny began hitting his prostate. He whimpered and keened and Sonny felt his orgasm building just from the sounds that were coming from the other man’s throat.

“You feel so good. So fucking good.” Sonny panted as he slammed up into him.

Rafael had been with Sonny enough times to recognize the way his hips stuttered, the way his breath hitched. He knew he was on the brink. Determined to catch up, he leaned back, taking his cock in his hand and jerking himself roughly as he continued to undulate his hips.

Sonny bit his lip as he watched Rafael touch himself, the sight not doing much to stave off his impending orgasm.

But it didn’t matter because the combination of his own hand and the feel of Sonny still hitting all the right places inside of him had Rafael coming apart. “God, you’re so perfect. So fucking perfect.” With a moan that seemed to start from deep in his chest, Rafael clenched around him, stripes of come shooting out across Sonny’s belly.

The feel of the warm come on his skin and Rafael’s muscles squeezing him like a vice was Sonny’s undoing and he let out a whine as he came. Rafael rolled his hips to ride him through the end of his orgasm and Sonny whimpered when he crossed into oversensitivity.

Drawing one last kiss from Sonny’s lips, Rafael slipped off of him and Sonny immediately missed the warmth of him around his already softening dick.

“Fuck.” Sonny said, breathing heavy, and Rafael couldn’t tell if it meant he was satisfied or mad at himself for letting it happen again.

He hadn’t quite caught his breath yet, but to avoid having Sonny tell him that he had to go, that this was a mistake, he went into the bathroom. He stared in the mirror for a moment, contemplating not for the first time how he’d managed to fall so hard for a cop of all things.

He’d spent his life alone, and for good reason. Sure, he’d had sexual partners, male and female alike, but it had never gone beyond that. He’d never wanted it to. Not until Sonny. Not until blue eyes and dimples and an intelligence that rivaled his own. And the power to destroy him, to lock him up and ruin everything he’d worked so hard for.

Rafael sighed. But it didn’t matter. It was a risk he was willing to take. That he _had_ to take because he had no choice in the matter, not really. He loved him and there was no way to change that. Deciding to see once and for all if Sonny felt the same he ran some warm water over a washcloth and carried it back into the bedroom.

Sonny had disposed of the condom, but still lay naked and satiated on top of Rafael’s expensive sheets. Rafael could admire that body for the rest of his life and never grow tired of it.

Sonny’s eyes were closed, but they popped open when Rafael sat on the bed and began running the washcloth over his torso, erasing the evidence of the intimacy they’d shared.

“I can do that,” Sonny offered, but his eyes were closed again as he enjoyed the feeling of the warm cloth running over him.

“Let me.” Rafael had never been the caretaker type, but there was something about Sonny that made him want to take care of him. It was ridiculous given that Sonny was one of NYPD’s best detectives. He carried a gun and probably had training in hand to hand combat. He could surely take care of himself, but that didn’t stop Rafael from wanting the job.

When he was finished he tossed the cloth into the hamper and, deciding that it was a good sign that Sonny hadn’t left yet, curled up against his tall form, pulling the duvet up over both of them.

Sonny kept his eyes closed, but he wrapped an arm around Rafael, pulling him closer. In response, Rafael trailed his fingers lightly over Sonny’s chest, kissing his shoulder, unable to resist touching him.

“I missed you, too,” Sonny finally said sleepily.

Rafael smiled against his shoulder, peppering kisses there before moving onto the side of Sonny’s neck, allowing his tongue to dart out and taste the salty skin he found there.

“Run away with me.” It was a whispered plea, soft against his neck, but full of desperation. He hadn’t thought about it until now, but suddenly it was all there was, all he wanted.

“What?” Sonny’s eyes snapped open.

“It’s the solution to everything.” Rafael propped himself up on his elbow so he could look Sonny in the eye. “We can start over somewhere new. We can be together.”

“I can’t run off,” Sonny shook his head. “I have my family, my job.”

“You won’t need a job. I have more than enough to take care of us both.”

“You realize I’m a cop, right? You expect me to run off to the Maldives and live off of stolen goods and be perfectly okay with that?”

“The Maldives? Is that where you want to go?” Rafael ignored his point, leaning forward to kiss his jaw and then his lips, happy when Sonny kissed him back. “We can go wherever you want. Somewhere tropical?” His voice was low and he kissed Sonny again. “Paris? I already have a place in Barcelona.” This time when he kissed him it was deeper, his tongue probing into Sonny’s mouth and Sonny wrapped a hand around the back of his head before suddenly he pulled away.

“Dammit. No, I can’t do this.” Sonny slid out of the bed, finding his underwear and slipping them on. “You live this fantasy life where you just waltz in and out of places and get whatever you want whether it’s yours for the taking or not, but that’s not the real world.”

Rafael felt simultaneously offended and heartbroken.

“You know what’s real? Making an honest living, having consequences to your actions,” Sonny continued as he buttoned up his jeans.

Rafael stood, pulling a clean pair of boxer briefs from his dresser drawer simply because he felt ridiculous standing there naked while Sonny was almost fully dressed. “I’m going to ignore your insults because I know you have a conscience, your most irredeemable quality by the way, and that this is hard for you, but can you honestly stand there and tell me that you can walk away from me, from us?”

Sonny sighed, his shoulders sagging as the fight left him. “No.” It was barely a whisper. He’d tried fighting this and that hadn’t worked, and honestly he didn’t want to anymore. But how could he leave everything, everyone?

“And if you have another solution where we can be together, I’m all ears because that’s all I want, Sonny, to be with you.”

There wasn’t another way. He’d spent months trying to think of one. “I need to think about this.”

Rafael nodded. “Friday night at 7 I’ll be by the clock in Grand Central, whether you’re there or not I’ll be getting on a train.” It was time. Either he’d be leaving with Sonny, or leaving his heartache behind, but his time in New York, at least for now, was done.

“Okay.” Sonny’s heart thumped in his chest, knowing that it was completely possible that this would be the last time they saw each other. He put a hand on Rafael’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over his soft lips. “I need you to know that no matter what happens, this was…” He trailed off, not sure how to properly convey everything that Rafael meant to him, but the other man seemed to understand, raising on his toes to press warm lips against Sonny’s.

“I know,” Rafael whispered.

Reluctantly, Sonny stepped back, finding his shirt on the ground and pulling it over his head. With one last longing look at Rafael over his shoulder, he was gone.

* * *

 

Rafael wanted to pace, but he couldn’t. He had to look normal, like any other commuter just trying to get back out to the ‘burbs for the weekend so he could kiss his blonde wife and ignore his 2.5 kids while he drank in his office. The busy hour gave him a lot of cover, but one could never be too careful.

He checked his bag again, something any person would do, making sure he had the proper paperwork, including the passport he’d had made for Sonny, hoping the preparation hadn’t jinxed things.

The Matisse painting was safe in a plastic tube that hung from his shoulder. It was the one thing he’d stolen that he hadn’t been able to part with. He probably never would, no matter how today turned out.

Once he was assured that he had all that he needed he glanced up at the clock, the large face mocking him. 6:59.

It wasn’t 7, not yet. And maybe Sonny was just running late, maybe traffic was bad, or the subway was delayed, or maybe...he wasn’t coming.

Rafael made a deal with himself that he’d wait five more minutes. He did have some dignity after all. At 7:13 he decided that he didn’t, in fact, have any dignity at all.

He had to go soon or he’d miss his train to Connecticut. They wouldn’t give Matthew Franklin a second look at the Hartford airport, so he’d begin his journey there.

Finally, when he’d resigned himself to the fact that Sonny wasn’t coming he caught a glimpse of wheat colored hair, rising just slightly above the rest of the people rushing to their trains. His heart thumped wildly as the crowd seemed to part, revealing Sonny, a dufflebag on his shoulder and a smile on his face.

“You’re here.” Rafael grinned when Sonny reached him.

“Yeah,” Sonny said, dropping his bag to the ground and wrapping a hand around the back of Rafael’s neck, kissing him soundly. “I’m here.”

“And you’re sure?” Rafael had to ask even though he was afraid to.

Sonny thought about the key he’d left on the kitchen counter of his apartment, the gun and badge sitting in his locker at the precinct, his empty bank account, and the letter to his parents that he’d dropped in the mail. There was no turning back now and he didn’t want to.

“I’m sure.” The conviction in his tone convinced Rafael, who took his hand, threading their fingers together. “So what’s the plan?” Sonny asked, picking up his bag with his free hand.

“First Hartford and then the world?”

“Wow,” Sonny laughed. “If you’re going to spend the rest of our lives being that cheesy I might have to reconsider.”

“The rest of our lives, huh?” Rafael asked, looking at him lovingly.

“Yeah,” Sonny said softly, leaning down to place another gentle kiss on his lips.

“Well, let’s get started then.” Rafael tugged on his hand and they made their way to the train platform, never looking back.


End file.
